Car for transport of miners



March 6, 1956 R. E. JONES CAR FOR TRANSPORT OF MINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1951 INVENTOR Foierf E fimes ATTORNEYS March 6, 1956 Filed Sept. 14,

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R. E. JONES CAR FOR TRANSPORT OF MINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I HI' I I I INVENTOR Faber? E .7009;

ATTORNEYS United States Patent (IAR FOR TRANSPORT OF MINERS Robert E. Jones, Knoxville, Tenn., assignor to The Sanford Investment Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application September 14, 1951, Serial No. 246,648

12 Claims. (Cl. 105-364) This invention relates to improvements in car for Transport of Miners, and more particularly cars adapted to carry workmen to and from their working positions in a mine.

The customary passenger cars used on railroads are not satisfactory for hauling workmen in a mine because the type of swivelled trucks used in such cars, and the construction of the car bodies, render the cars of such great height that they are incapable of being moved to the working positions in the mines along the low headroom passages provided therein. Moreover, passenger cars, gen-, erally, are much too expensive in construction for use for this purpose.

One object of this invention is to improve the construction of passenger cars to provide for a maximum of headroom in the car in a minimum of height of the car structure from the rail or trackway.

Another object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction of a passenger car for workmen by reducing appreciably the cost of the construction there of while providing adequate safety for the workmen in being transported into and out of the mine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for the construction of the car for transporting mine workmen in as simple and inexpensive a design as possible, producing maximum strength and safety at low cost, preferably in an all steel structure and without girders or swivel trucks in the construction of the car.

These objects may be accomplished according to one embodiment of the invention by constructing a car of low overall height, preferably of all steel, for maximum strength and safety at low cost. The body of the car is fabricated substantially in the form of a unitary girder or beam, with suitable angles, structural bars, standards, etc., and enclosed at one side and at the ends, while the opposite side is open for the entrance and exit of the workmen. Seats are provided to accommodate the workmen, and back rests associated therewith, but the car is so constructed that the seats are substantially below the axes of the wheels so as to lower the overall height of the car for freedom of passage into and out of the mine through low headroom passageways. The car is supported preferably on four wheels, which makes unnecessary the use of swivel trucks, and the cost of the car is further reduced by eliminating costly streamlining construction, as provided in many passenger cars used heretofore.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a man car embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detailed cross-section through the side rail and roof thereof on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed cross-section through the wheel hood construction on the line 44 in Fig. 6;

Fig. is a longitudinal section through an end portion of the car on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section therethrough on the line 66 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line 7-7 in Fig. 1.

The structure of the car is substantially an embodiment of a box girder without sills or girders contained therein. Extending lengthwise of the car are intermediate bottom beam members 1, spaced apart transversely on opposite sides of the upright longitudinal central plane of the car, and substantially throughout the length thereof. Corresponding beam members 2 extend lengthwise of the car at the top thereof, which beam members 1 and 2 are connected together by standards 3 and 4, intermediate the length of the car, the standards 4 being in converging relation, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 as hereinafter described. End standards 6 connect together the opposite ends of the beams 1 and 2.

Beams 7 extend lengthwise of the car at the opposite edges of the bottom thereof. A corresponding beam 8 extends lengthwise of the car along the top edge thereof, parallel with and spaced from the beam 7 at the corresponding side, which is adapted to be the closed side. A longitudinal beam 9 extends along the top of the opposite side that is to be open and is spaced above the beam 7 at said open side. The beams 7 and 8 at the closed side are connected together and braced by standards 10, and corresponding standards 11 are provided in the corners of the car at the open side thereof. Intermediate the length of the car at the open side, are upright hand rails forming the standards in the supporting structure, as indicated at 12 and 13.

The beam member 9 and the standards 12 and 13 preferably are formed of pipe or other suitable rounded members or bars, while all of the other structural members 1 to 8, inclusive, preferably are formed of angle bars or other suitable members that may be fabricated to the desired construction. These beams and structural members are riveted, welded, or otherwise fastened securely into a unitary structure, substantially to form a box girder or truss that will provide the desired strength at low cost and without sills or girders being incorporated therein.

The longitudinally extending beams 1, 2, 7 and 8 are spaced apart transversely not only by the end walls, top and bottom, but also by intermediate braces in the form of angle bars or other structural members, some of which are indicated at 31 in Figs. 1, 2, and 6, and also by the hand rails 26 and by the corresponding pipe 33 extending along the edge of the back rests 27, all of which structure forms a part of the frame structure of the car.

This frame structuer is enclosed on three sides and at the ends, while one of the sides is open for access thereto by the workmen. A bottom wall 13' extends beneath the beams 1 and 7, to which it is secured, closing the bottom of the car. A side wall 14 extends upwardly from the beam 7 to the beam 8, and from end to end of the car, as will be apparent from Figs. 5 and 6. A top plate 15 extends over the entire top of the car, and may be covered with insulating material, if desired, to ensure safety fromtrolley wires over head. End Walls are shown at 16, closing the opposite ends of the car. These top, bottom, side and end walls preferably are formed of steel plates secured by riveting, welding, or other suitable manner, to the frame structure of the car. The wall 14 closes one side of the car substantially throughout, while the opposite side is open substantially throughout, although upright edge plates are shown at 32, along said open side at the extreme ends thereof.

Windows may be provided, if desired, in the side and end walls 14 and 16, as designated generally at 17, to afford visibility for the workmen riding inside the car.

Combined bumpers and couplings are designated generally at 18 at opposite ends of the car. Any suitable form thereof may be used, as desired, such as that customarily provided for mine cars, as illustrated.

The car is supported on four wheels, indicated generally at 19, mounted on axles 20. The axles 29 are journaled in axle boxes 21, upon which the frame structure is supported. The axle boxes 21 are secured to axle back plates 22, that extend transversely between and are welded or otherwise secured to the lower edge portions of the standards 4, as shown in Figs. and 7. Also secured to each pair of converging standards 4 and extending upwardly therebetween is a plate 23.

A wheel hood is provided by a plate 24 that extends transversely between the upper edges of back rest plates 25, secured to the opposite outer faces of the converging standards 4 and substantially from side to side of the car. Hand rails are provided at 26, in the form of pipes, rods, or the like, along the upper edges of the back rest plates 25', being welded or otherwise secured thereto.

Back rest plates 27 are provided also at the ends of the car, and preferably inclined substantially at the same angle as the back rest plates 25. These back rest plates 25 and 27 are mounted adjacent the seat plates 23, secured to the bottom 13' of the car, forming seats for the workmen in reasonably comfortable positions, with sufiicient headroom beneath the top 15. The seats 28 and back rest plates 25 and 27 preferably extend from side to side of the car, as will be apparent from Fig. 6, to accommodate a substantial number of workers.

At the open side of the car, guard means may be provided, if desired, in the form of flexible members such as chains 29 extending between snap rings 39, secured on the hand rails 12 and 13, preferably detachable therefrom to provide for entrance and exit of the workmen, and permitting of closure of the guard means during transportation.

The manner of use of the car will be evident from the foregoing description. The workmen are accommodated on the seats 28, resting with their backs against the back rests 25 and 27. The number of workmen accommodated will depend upon the size of the car, which may be varied as desired, but the seat constructions is such that each man sits practically on the floor of the car. This gives the maximum amount of headroom for the man within the limits of overall height. Moreover, it makes possible the reduction in the maximum height of the car, providing a very low overall height above the rails for accommodating the workmen sitting in upright positions. Thus the car can travel through passages of low overall height, much lower than would be possible with other types of passenger cars.

Not only are these advantages made possible by the present construction, but the cost of the car is materially reduced, Without sacrificing either safety or strength of construction. A substantially all steel unit of maximum strength is provided in the overall box girder structure as described, without requiring heavy sills or girders incorporated in the car, or other costly construction that would increase the expense in building the car. Thus many improvements are effected while producing a passenger car for the transportation of workmen, of maximum strength and safety.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in one embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein Without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A car for transport of miners comprising a body, said body including laterally spaced intermediate beams extending lengthwise of the body in the upper and lower portions thereof, additional beams extending lengthwise of the body in both the upper and lower portions thereof and spaced laterally outside the intermediate beams, standards connecting together the upper and lower beams, top and bottom plates secured to the beams and cooperating therewith to form a girder structure, seats mounted directly on the bottom plate, and wheels supporting the body, said bottom plate being so formed that said wheels extend at least in part above said bottom plate with the axes of the wheels above the major portions of the seats.

2. A car for transport of miners comprising a body having a frame structure, top and bottom walls secured on the frame structure, wheels supporting the body, said bottom wall being so formed that said wheels extend at least in part above said bottom wall, and seats mounted directly on the bottom wall substantially below the axes of the wheels.

3. A car for transport of miners comprising a body including a frame structure, top and bottom walls secured to the frame structure, a side wall and end walls secured to the frame structure and substantially enclosing said body with a side thereof open, seats mounted directly on the bottom wall, and wheels supporting the body, said bottom wall being so formed that said wheels extend at least in part above said bottom wall with the axes of the wheels substantially above the seats.

4. A car for transport of miners comprising a frame structure, means for enclosing portions of the sides of the frame structure, supporting wheels for the frame structure, said frame structure including upright converging standards separate from the frame structure and attached thereto intermediate the length of said frame structure and at opposite sides of the wheels, a wheel hood plate extending transversely over the wheels between said converging standards, and plates extending on opposite sides of the wheels and joined to said transverse wheel hood plate and to the converging standards and cooperating therewith to form wheel hoods, each Wheel being located beneath the inverted V formed by the upright converging standards.

5. A car for transport of miners comprising a body including a frame structure, means enclosing at least a portion of the body, wheels supporting the body, said frame structure including upright converging standards separate from the frame structure and attached thereto intermediate the length of said frame structure and at opposite sides of the wheels, an upright plate extending between the converging standards and connected therewith at one side of each wheel, upright plates at opposite sides of each wheel extending transversely of the body, and a connecting plate extending between the upper edge portions of said upright plates over each wheel and coopcrating therewith and with the first mentioned plate to form a hood for the wheel, each wheel being located beneath the inverted V formed by the upright converging standards.

6. A car for transport of miners comprising a body, said body including a frame structure, a side wall secured to the frame structure and closing one side of the body, the opposite side of the body being substantially open, seats extending transversely of the body, back rest plates secured to the frame structure adjacent the seats, an upright hand rail secured to the frame structure intermediate the seats, and flexible cable means extending transversely from the hand rail to adjacent portions of the frame structure at said open side providing guard means therefor.

7. A car for transport of miners comprising a body including upper and lower beams extending lengthwise thereof and spaced apart transversely of the body, upright standards connecting the beams together, substantially fiat top and bottom plates overlying the upper beams and underlying the lower beams, respectively, and separate therefrom, said plates being secured to their respective adjacent beams and cooperating therewith to form a girder structure, said plates extending substantially from side to side of the body, and wheels supporting said body.

8. A car for transport of miners comprising a body having a frame structure, top and bottom walls secured to the frame structure, wheels supporting the body, and padlike plates separate from the bottom wall and mounted directly on the bottom wall and secured permanently thereto and forming seats.

9. A car for transport of miners comprising a body having a frame structure, top and bottom walls secured to the frame structure, wheels supporting the body and having axes above the bottom wall, and pad-like plates separate from the bottom wall and mounted directly on the bottom wall substantially entirely below the axes of the wheels and forming seats.

10. A car for transport of miners comprising a body having a frame structure, top and bottom walls secured to the frame structure, wheels supporting the body, upright plates secured to the frame structure, said plates being spaced apart longitudinally of the body and extending transveresly thereof on opposite sides of the wheels, and seats mounted directly on the bottom wall immediately adjacent the upright plates whereby said upright plates form back rests for the seats and form coverings for the wheels.

11. A car for transport of miners comprising a body, said body including laterally spaced intermediate beams extending lengthwise of the body in the upper and lower portions thereof, additional beams extending lengthwise of the body in the upper and lower portions thereof and spaced laterally outside the intermediate beams, standards connecting together the upper and lower beams, and top and bottom plates overlying the upper beams and underlying the lower beams, respectively, separate therefrom and secured to their respective beams, said top and bottom plates extending from side to side of the body and being substantially flat throughout their width.

12. A car for transport of miners comprising a frame structure, means for enclosing portions of the sides of the frame structure, supporting wheels for the frame structure, said frame structure including upright converging standards separate from the frame structure and attached thereto intermediate the length of said frame structure and at opposite sides of the wheels, a wheel hood plate extending transversely over the wheels between said converging standards, and plates extending on opposite sides of the wheels and joined to said transverse wheel hood plate and to the converging standards and cooperating therewith to form wheel hoods, each wheel being located beneath the inverted V formed by the upright converging standards, and pad-like seats secured to the frame structure immediately adjacent the opposite sides of the con verging standards for supporting miners thereon.

Relereuces Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 567,655 Poor Sept. 15, 1896 1,663,036 Ashe et a1 Mar. 20, 1928 1,822,836 Wine Sept. 8, 1931 2,075,939 Heyner Apr. 6, 1937 2,143,547 Dean Jan. 10, 1939 2,216,025 Sheppard Sept. 24, 1940 2,226,083 Thumstrom et a1. Dec. 24, 1940 2,241,377 Clemens May 13, 1941 2,380,528 Jabelman July 31, 1945 2,501,503 Flowers Mar. 21, 1950 

